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An NHS Trust has apologised to a transgender woman whose medical records were sent to another patient by mistake.

Imperial College Trust admitted it had breached patient confidentiality after records belonging to Sarah Preece, a patient undergoing gender reassignment surgery, were placed in the wrong file.

Ms Preece only learned of the mistake when another patient wrote to inform her that she had received files containing highly sensitive information, including details of her surgery.

In text messages seen by The Sunday Telegraph, the woman revealed she had been provided with Ms Preece’s “name and address... also that you may have changed gender”.

She added that the files showed “that you were unhappy with your treatment... and the fact that you had concerns about confidentiality".

I have no idea how many people may now have my files. I am very frustrated by the whole processSarah Preece

Ms Preece said she had been “shocked” to receive the letter, adding that the Trust had failed to confirm whether her files had been sent to other patients. To compound the issue, Ms Preece said that the Trust had learned of the mistake more than a month beforehand, but had failed to notify her.

She added that she had decided to speak publicly about the issue in the hope that it would prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

“What is so concerning is that I found out from a woman who had used contact details on my medical files in order to let me know. They [Imperial College Trust] had failed to inform me.

“That’s why I’m so concerned. I have no idea how many people may now have my files. I am very frustrated by the whole process, I feel the Trust’s response has been totally unsatisfactory.

“For all I know it could have ended up with anyone. They could have been uploaded online or if they’d gone to someone transphobic then it could have led to harassment or worse.”

It comes two years after an NHS clinic in London was forced to apologise to hundreds of patients with HIV, whose names and emails were sent out in a newsletter.

The controversy forced the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to launch an inquiry into how the NHS handles confidential medical information, amid concerns that highly sensitive patient data was being mishandled.